Your Sons & Daughters Shall Prophesy - Prophetic Gifts Today In The New Testament Church

The Transition from Old to New

Concerning the Kingdom of God

• Knew the present dimension (Matthew 10:7-8; Mark 1:15; 9:1) • Understood the future dimension (Matthew 13:28-33)

Concerning the Destruction ofJerusalem

• Foretold all the stones would be torn down (Matthew 24:2; Luke 19:44; 21:6) • Foretold the city would be surrounded by armies (Luke 19:43; 21:20) • Foretold the Temple sanctuary would be desecrated (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:2, 14) • Foretold it would be a difficult time for those with child, and many would die (Luke 19:44; 21:23)

REFLECTIONS

Intertestamental literature was conscious of the loss of the Spirit.In the apocryphal and pseudepigraphical writings there is an awareness that the period of prophetic inspiration is over.Prophecy is defunct.Prophetic inspiration departed from Israel with the last of the prophets.In rabbinic literature it is expressly stated that the Holy Spirit departed from Israel after the last prophets....There was no longer any inspired revelation. 21 George Eldon Ladd Without the living voice of prophecy continuing to direct Judaism, the strongest influence in Jewish politics and faith became in the end the zealo tism that destroyed the nation and the rabbinism that petrified the religion. 22 James D. G. Dunn The Christian community is therefore primarily a prophetic commu nity, and the Spirit is the spirit of prophecy, taken in its widest sense.If Jesus is the Spirit-anointed servant of Isaiah 61 who opens the age of sal vation, the church is the community of the Spirit foretold by Joel. 23 George T.Montague The privilege of holding free and open communication with heaven in respect to the secret things of God, however it may have distinguished Moses from other prophets, only attained its perfection in Christ, as in Him also the ground on which it rests becomes immeasurably higher and broader. 24 Patrick Fairbairn ■ 142